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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
machinery, much tongue religion; but something deeper and more
solid must be brought into our religious experience. With all our
facilities, our publishing houses, our schools, our sanitariums, and
many, many other advantages, we ought to be far in advance of our
present position. It is the work of the Christian in this life to represent
Christ to the world, in life and character unfolding the blessed Jesus.
If God has given us light, it is that we may reveal it to others. But in
comparison with the light we have received, and the opportunities and
privileges granted us to reach the hearts of the people, the results of
our work thus far have been far too small. God designs that the truth
which He has brought to our understanding shall produce more fruit
than has yet been revealed. But when our minds are filled with gloom
and sadness, dwelling upon the darkness and evil around us, how can
we represent Christ to the world? How can our testimony have power
to win souls? What we need is to know God and the power of His
love, as revealed in Christ, by an experimental knowledge. We must
search the Scriptures diligently, prayerfully; our understanding must
be quickened by the Holy Spirit, and our hearts must be uplifted to
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God in faith and hope and continual praise.
Through the merits of Christ, through His righteousness, which by
faith is imputed unto us, we are to attain to the perfection of Christian
character. Our daily and hourly work is set forth in the words of the
apostle: “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.”
While doing this our minds become clearer and our faith stronger,
and our hope is confirmed; we are so engrossed with the view of His
purity and loveliness, and the sacrifice He has made to bring us into
agreement with God, that we have no disposition to speak of doubts
and discouragements.
The manifestation of God’s love, His mercy and His goodness, and
the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart to enlighten and renew it,
place us, through faith, in so close connection with Christ that, having
a clear conception of His character, we are able to discern the masterly
deceptions of Satan. Looking unto Jesus and trusting in His merits
we appropriate the blessings of light, of peace, of joy in the Holy
Ghost. And in view of the great things which Christ has done for us,
we are ready to exclaim: “Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”